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Portis might miss Dec. 13 game at Oakland

Running back Clinton Portis might sit out next week's road game against the Oakland Raiders because of lingering affects from a concussion.

On Monday, Portis will travel to Pittsburgh to be examined again by concussion specialists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Coach Jim Zorn said after practice today at Redskins Park. After the two-day evaluation, Portis is scheduled to return to Redskins Park on Wednesday.

It seems highly unlikely that Portis, who as of this week still was experiencing dizziness during workouts, would play in the game at Oakland.

"He still has a little bit of dizziness or just not feeling right," Zorn said.

But Zorn would not rule out Portis, who has missed three straight games after suffering the concussion in the Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and will not play in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints at FedEx Field.

"I'm not going to say that," Zorn said. "If they [the concussion specialists] can clear him, he'll get right back into it. And that'll be the test, because they'll be the ones that ask him. And as they work through all the issues, if he comes back then we can get him out [on the practice field].

"I can't tell you he'll play against the Raiders. But if we can get him active, and he feels better, they've completely cleared him and our doctors have completely cleared him to play, not just to have activity, then we'll go."

If he's still having lingering effects 3 weeks later, then he needs to consider shutting it down for good. There are concussions and then there are CONCUSSIONS, and the CP retirement plan needs to kick in while he can still enjoy it.

Posted by: mattsoundworld | December 4, 2009 2:20 PM
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So, does this make him questionably probable or probably questionable? I think Zorn is probably without question an idiot.

Posted by: mattsoundworld | December 4, 2009 2:20 PM
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So, does this make him questionably probable or probably questionable? I think Zorn is probably without question an idiot.

Does anyone really think Clinton WANTS to play again this year? The team is way better off without him. Dude is a cancer.

Posted by: richard_cranium | December 4, 2009 3:21 PM

Fans are to fickle. If CP were putting up 130 yard games it would not matter what he said. Last year fans were doggin the triplets, now that they are showing signs of life, fans are swinging to their side.

Personally I think CP needs to be shut down, have surgery to remove the bone spurs and be ready to show what he may have next year. But he is not a cancer IMO.

Personally I think CP needs to be shut down, have surgery to remove the bone spurs and be ready to show what he may have next year. But he is not a cancer IMO.

Posted by: Skins930 | December 4, 2009 3:28 PM | Report abuse

Agree, and it's the lack of practice, whether due to the spurs or his own inclination, and playing time that sets up any number of other injuries, most notably another concussion. But it could be anything. Fight another day.

There's nothing "fickle" about calling out Portis- constant drama from this guy from day one- from calling out coaches and players, not practicing when healthy, complaining about sharing carries with Betts. Team is better off without him rest of this year and every year after.

Fans are to fickle. If CP were putting up 130 yard games it would not matter what he said. Last year fans were doggin the triplets, now that they are showing signs of life, fans are swinging to their side.

I'm not jumping all over Portis, but I was on record last year of saying that Portis was not a long-term answer.

Unfortunately, I had the misfortune of attempting to argue this point during the time where he was hanging 125yds/wk.

However, his age and injuries (among other things) did catch up to him and now it is obvious that his best days are behind him.

But it speaks to a larger problem with DC (and the fans). We are either in the 'sign him for life club' or the 'cut his butt tomorrow club'. That would not be a bad thing, as fans are, well, fanatical. However, when one attempts to run your roster on said extremes, well then you run into problems.

I'm a Portis fan, love his heart, desire, etc. But he's not more important than the Redskins. Neither is DHall, AH, or anyone else. When you bring in, or hang onto, these players at the expense of the team, then I have a problem. And that's exactly what has happened with Samuels, Portis, Jansen, etc. Nice guys, great players, but ultimately that type of player prevents us from developing a 53 man roster capable of going the distance

I know about signing another player, but at this point you are talking about signing a scrub for the league minimum... that's not gonna make or break us. And at least we have another healthy body to play.

Anyway, the second point is far more troubling, as the only parachute we have with AH's contract is an uncapped season. If that window closes, you can kiss rebuilding for the next 4 years goodbye.

I'm not saying Portis would like or accept this role, but as others have suggested before, why not play him at fullback? Take advantage of the pass blocking with the lesser carry load and more catches out of the backfield?

Anyway, the second point is far more troubling, as the only parachute we have with AH's contract is an uncapped season. If that window closes, you can kiss rebuilding for the next 4 years goodbye.

Posted by: mattsoundworld | December 4, 2009 4:02 PM

I disagree. We'll be getting rid of Thomas, Samuels, hopefully CP, maybe Randel El...all players that count probably $6-10 million per year on the cap.

And "rebuilding" is through the DRAFT, aka, cheap players. Yeah, we're screwed if we try to rebuild through free agency, but dear God I hope we've learned a lesson. The Cap won't be an issue because we're probably a few million under right now anyway.

Well that's a good example of Vinny's position., and actually in this draft, if most of the juniors come out, there should be talented OL players in rounds 2-4 as well.

Posted by: TWISI | December 4, 2009 4:04 PM

Yeah but d!ckhead Ceratto won't even draft guys for the line in the 2nd-5th rounds because "there was no one good enough where we were picking to draft line." His solution is to grab as many undrafted Terps as possible or get guys off the Jenny Craig program. Ahole better be fired in January.

With CP you have to look at his roster spot from a GM perspective. Not a VPOFB perspective cuz those big bug eyes make things appear larger than in real life. And you can't assess reality through gargantuanlly oversized convex lenses.

A real GM would consider the following and make the best decision on CP for the long term interests of this franchise.

1. Whats he got left (in the tank, in the cranium)when he comes back next year?

2. Whats his cap number if he's on the roster?

3. Whats the cap penalty if we cut him at dates (a)(b)(c)? ie: june 1st cuts, before/after roster bonuses, etc.

4. Whats Betts got left after a blown out knee?

5. Whats Betts cap number if hes on the roster?

6. Whats Betts cap penalty if he's cut?

7. How does CP fit in with the new coaching staff?

8. Create scenario (a)(b)(c) with all the variables and make an educated decison.

If I had the answers to all these and more, I'd say cut CP! Or keep him. But I dont, so I just hope whomever takes this team over... or continues to make personel decisions makes the right call with CP (and the rest of the players). The latter Im convinced won't make the right call. So I beateth thy drum once more...

'm not saying Portis would like or accept this role, but as others have suggested before, why not play him at fullback? Take advantage of the pass blocking with the lesser carry load and more catches out of the backfield?

Fullbacks are more for run blocking (as a rule). Pass blocking backs are typically referred to as 3rd down backs. I'm a fan of lightening his load to such a role myself, but again, $7.1 mil kinda jumps out at you for taking 1st n 2nd down next to the Gatorade.

The players are getting real scarred and realize that most will not get paid what they thought they would get paid, since there is no salary floor. The cheap teams can just sign everyone to vet minimums and go out and play if they wanted to....

But, it was said that they would still use the free agency rules...meaning could keep CR22 and JC17....

Portis did take a very bad hit to the head 2X, one on each side and by the severity of this hit, he should be put on IR. You can't fool around with concussions, it is too dangerous. Hope he recovers completely but it is taking a long time.

It's sure easy to beat up on Clinton while he has a rookie offensive line. Not that he is going to bust a move each and every week. But he is tough. At that present, I would think it would be in everyone's best interest to let him heal...all over. Put him on IR, and let hime come back and compete HEALTHY. Deep down I think that we all feel that is the better plan. What is there to prove at 3-8? If we can improve on the offensive line a healthy Portis might be a far better tool than he is right now.

Portis can still be a productive back - maybe 2 more years, if he ever recovers from the concussion. Maybe he doesn't and joins Westbrook in retirement. Skins should be looking to get younger and faster at RB anyway.

Great News. what real Skins fan really cares at this point. He's been outplayed by 2nd-4th string and players cut rom the practice squad. At this point I hope he never puts the uniform on again on a Sunday that means anything. Should have traded him for picks prior to the deadline. The fictitious deadline I guess, 'cause you can still trade him. Anyway, Trade Him!!

and I don't dislike Portis. I think he's a pretty good supporter of his teammates. But he did this to himself by not practicing and circumventing to reporting code that all of the other teammates have to follow. I know that wasn't his fault, but he took full advantage. He needs to go now and I don't care to see him on any local show covering the Redskins either.

and I don't dislike Portis. I think he's a pretty good supporter of his teammates. But he did this to himself by not practicing and circumventing the reporting structure that the other teammates have to follow. I know that wasn't his fault, but he took full advantage. He needs to go now and I don't care to see him on any local show covering the Redskins either.

Of those folks above [including AH], all will be making 4 million or more next season.

Only Moss, Carter, and Haynesworth can still bring it at full game speed in the roles they were brough here for.

If Portis gets his bone spurs fixed in the off-season and stays non contact until OTA's he MIGHT be upped to servicable or slightly above for one more year [getting rid of Portis before 2011 is not otherwise cap friendly].

Now add to that, no more dead cap money next (2010) season for:

Brandon Lloyd
Jon Jansen

and one would think the team would be able to scrape up enough cash and opportunity to get a decent starting OT in the 2010 draft.

They should re-sign Levi Jones (as depth at OT or to move to RT as a starter), and maybe pick up a stop gap free agent OT.

Then they should still have a few bucks left over to address other another need [CB, QB, ILB depth, SS] and that's before any other moves, like the likely medically induced retirements of Randy Thomas and Chris Samuels.

The REAL problem is...will the team have anyone with enough common sense to address the real problems and actually do what the team needs in the off season [I.E. NOT Dan, Vinny or a combination thereof, but a real GM & new GM appointed HC & Staff] or will the team again bungle the chances they have?

cerrato and snyder will NOT learn anything from the saints drafting most of their starting o-lineman(2nd to 4th round picks). what good o-lineman has cerrato ever drafted in washington?..NONE these guys are IDIOTS and probably will not draft any linemen in the next draft and if they do they will be linemen who play like heyer. If anyone here thinks these morons will draft another grimm,jacoby,starke, samuels,jansen or similar players think again.